Written Answers Wednesday 14 June 2006

Scottish Executive

Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24710 by Rhona Brankin on 27 March 2006, whether competent authorities in Scotland proposing to agree a plan or project of a type not specified by Regulations 54 to 85 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended), notwithstanding a negative assessment of the implications for a European site, are required (a) to notify Scottish ministers and (b) not to agree to the plan or project for a period of 21 days unless Scottish ministers notify them that they may do so and, if not, what procedure such authorities are expected to follow.

Rhona Brankin: Regulation 3(4) of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 requires every competent authority, in the exercise of its functions, to have regard to the requirements of the Habitats Directive (92/42/EEC) so far as they may be affected by those functions. Competent authorities are therefore obliged to comply with the procedures and requirements specified in Article 6 of the Directive, whether or not they are also bound by other obligations.

  As a matter of law, only plans or projects covered by Regulations 53A to 85 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 are subject to the specific obligations, set out in Regulation 49, to notify the Scottish ministers and to defer a decision for a period of 21 days.

  However, no competent authority may agree to a plan or project unless it has ascertained that (a) the plan or project will have no significant effect on a European site, or that (b) the integrity of the site will not be adversely affected, or that (c) site integrity will be adversely affected but that there is no alternative solution and the plan or project must be carried out for imperative reasons of overriding public interest. This legal obligation, and the associated procedural requirements, apply irrespective of whether the competent authority is operating under Regulation 3(4) or Regulations 53A to 85.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been treated for (a) cocaine addiction and (b) cocaine-related illnesses in each of the last five years.

Hugh Henry: Table 1 details the number of new clients aged 16 and under, who, when accessing drug treatment and rehabilitation services, reported that they had used cocaine in the last month for each of the last five years.

  Table 1:

  

 
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Number of clients reporting cocaine use
 7
 4
 10
 12
 22



  Source: Scottish Drug Misuse Database.

  Table 2 details the number of people aged 16 years and under discharged from general acute Scottish hospitals with an explicit diagnosis related to cocaine misuse for each of the last five years.

  Table 2:

  

 
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05*


 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cocaine
 -
 1
 2
 1
 2


 Finding of cocaine in blood
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Cocaine poisoning
 3
 1
 3
 1
 4



  Note: *Provisional figures.

  Source: SMR01.

Emergency Planning

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a central command location from where all services that may be needed in a national emergency are co-ordinated and, if so, where the location is and which services and other organisations are involved with it.

Cathy Jamieson: In an emergency the role of Scottish and UK ministers is to support and reinforce the efforts of local responders by provision of advice, resources and, where necessary, co-ordination of combined national response. Further information can be found in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and its accompanying guidance Preparing Scotland which has been published on the Scottish Executive website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/27140215/0 .

Emergency Planning

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a Scottish central command to co-ordinate all services that may be needed in a national emergency can act independently of the UK Government.

Cathy Jamieson: Emergency planning is a devolved matter. The Scottish Executive works closely with all the relevant agencies in Scotland to ensure that we are collectively ready to manage the consequences of any emergency. The Executive also liaises closely with the UK Government and its agencies operating in Scotland to ensure that there is a fully joined approach to emergency planning and response. Further information can be found in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and its accompanying guidance Preparing Scotland which has been published on the Scottish Executive website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/27140215/0 .

Energy Review

Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the UK Energy Review.

Nicol Stephen: I am pleased to announce the publication today of the Scottish Executive response to the UK Energy Review. It focuses on diversity and security of supply issues, as well as measures to help minimise fuel poverty.

  Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39856).

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to protect the welfare of patients whose stoma appliance service involves the use of external contractors to undertake the cutting and fitting of appliances; whether all such patients are made aware of the use of contractors as part of their stoma service; whether consideration has been given to any data protection and privacy issues arising from the passing of identifiable personal information about patients to contractors, and what steps have been taken to ensure that any contractors in receipt of such information have appropriate procedures in place to safeguard sensitive personal information.

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to monitor the implementation of its new stoma care arrangements and what steps are being taken to ensure that patient confidentiality is protected under such arrangements.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards will carry out a patient audit which will seek the views of patients about their experience of the stoma service arrangements. A national review group is being established chaired by a senior NHS manager, which will meet when information from the patient audit is available. It was agreed by the national steering group for the new stoma supply arrangements that the audit tool would not be used until the new arrangements had been in operation for six months, i.e. from October 2006.

  The national service standards require stoma service providers to ensure that patient information is held securely and only used for the provision of patient care in accordance with the patient’s wishes. Additionally, community pharmacists are subject to both a Code of Ethics and the regulatory and discipline requirements of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, which cover patient confidentiality issues.

  As part of the preparation for implementation of the new arrangements, a patient information leaflet was prepared and issued which confirmed the new arrangements and included information on the review arrangements.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue clear guidance to GPs and other medical professionals in respect of its new stoma care arrangements to minimise any confusion, protect patient confidentiality and ensure that its commitment to universal patient choice of appliance supplier is upheld.

Lewis Macdonald: Revisions to stoma appliance supply arrangements introduced in April 2006 involve no changes to prescription arrangements. Further guidance clarifying this was issued through health board medical directors to GPs and others at the start of June.

Health

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the reported cost overruns on the electronic patient record project in England and Wales will have any impact on the costs, timescale or feasibility of the single patient record proposed in the Executive’s eHealth strategy.

Lewis Macdonald: There is only one major contract for electronic patient record-related IT services which we have in common with NHS England – telecommunications from BT – and on our contract there have been no delays, cost overruns or other negative impacts to date or expected. We do not expect progress on the actual electronic patient record IT systems which will deliver our Electronic Health Record to be adversely impacted by developments in other parts of the United Kingdom.

Housing

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24460 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 April 2006, what action it will take to increase the uptake of Rural Home Ownership Grant in Dumfries and Galloway.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
Communities Scotland is taking the following steps to increase the uptake of Rural Home Ownership Grants (RHOGs) in Dumfries and Galloway:

We have been working with Dumfries and Galloway Council to jointly commission housing market analysis in the rural areas of Dumfries, and this will identify priority areas for targeting our affordable housing programme including the use of RHOGs.
We are in discussion with the local Shelter Rural Housing Project about appropriate mechanisms for addressing housing need, and subsequent to a recent seminar we are now dealing with an increased volume of enquiries about RHOGs and Rural Empty Property Grants.
We intend shortly to hold discussions with local housing associations and with a new Small Communities Housing Trust being formed in the area, about their potential role in handling RHOG applications, similar to arrangements in Highlands.
We will continue to publicise RHOGs through distribution of our brochures which explain the scheme.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many under 18-year-olds were convicted of illegally carrying (a) knives and (b) other weapons in each year since 1990.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Aged Under 18 with a Charge Proved for Carrying Knives or Possession of an Offensive Weapon1 In Scottish Courts, 1990-91 to 2004-05.

  

 Year
 Having in a Public Place an Article with a Blade or a Point2
 Possession of an Offensive Weapon3
 Total


 1990-91
 -
 205
 205


 1991-92
 -
 205
 205


 1992-93
 -
 239
 239


 1993-94
 25
 162
 187


 1994-95
 70
 134
 204


 1995-96
 123
 137
 260


 1996-97
 167
 181
 348


 1997-98
 151
 157
 308


 1998-99
 128
 153
 281


 1999-2000
 143
 180
 323


 2000-01
 138
 179
 317


 2001-02
 138
 208
 346


 2002-03
 141
 198
 339


 2003-04
 145
 196
 341


 2004-05
 161
 266
 427



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Crime category introduced following implementation of the Carrying of Knives etc (Scotland) Act 1993. Previously such offences were included under "possession of an offensive weapon".

  3. Knives cannot be identified separately from other types of offensive weapon in the data held for this crime category.

Medical Negligence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients underwent the wrong procedures due to medical errors in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Mental Health Specific Grant has been frozen for the second year in succession and whether it is satisfied that mental health groups can maintain their service level without additional funding in the current year.

Lewis Macdonald: The funds have been maintained at £20 million despite competing priorities and a very tight financial climate generally. These resources continue to make a significant and continuing contribution to 370 local community based mental health projects and initiatives.

  It is open to the local authorities or other partners to add to the resources allocated in each area. In this regard, funds to local authorities overall for social work will have increased to £2.085 billion by next year.

  Spend overall on mental health in Scotland continues to increase year-on-year with latest figures showing over £760 million spent by NHS boards and local authorities.

Mental Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated annually to the Mental Health Specific Grant scheme since its inception and whether it will provide a breakdown of the projects funded by the scheme.

Lewis Macdonald: The annual allocations are shown in the following table. Details of the 370 projects currently funded can be found at: www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health/servicespolicy/Finance/MHSGprojects .

  

 Year
MHSG Annual Allocations
(£ Million)


 1991-92
 3


 1992-93
 6


 1993-94
 10


 1994-95
 14


 1995-96
 18


 1996-97
 18


 1997-98
 18


 1998-99
 18


 1999-2000
 18


 2000-01
 18


 2001-02
 19


 2002-03
 19


 2003-04
 20


 2004-05
 20


 2005-06
 20

Mental Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a review of the Mental Health Specific Grant scheme.

Lewis Macdonald: The grant scheme is kept under on-going review for relevancy and value for money. Local authority partners also monitor all projects to ensure aims and objectives continue to be met.

  Detailed information on MHSG, including current guidance and the most recent evaluation outcomes are available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health/servicespolicy/Finance/MHSG.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses working in the NHS (a) retired and (b) left for other reasons in each year since 1999 and how many are forecast to (i) retire and (ii) leave for other reasons in 2006-07.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on reasons for leaving NHS Scotland is not collected centrally.

  Table 1 shows the number (headcount) of nursing and midwifery staff leavers for the years 1999-2004.

  Table 1

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Nursing and Midwifery Leavers
 4,289
 4,302
 4,489
 4,601
 4,671
 4,329



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Note: "Leavers from NHS Scotland" are defined as staff who were employed with NHS Scotland in a substantive post at 30 September but who were not employed in any substantive post a year later.

  Analysis of annual staff turnover and retention trends can be used to estimate the number of staff leaving NHS Scotland in 2006.

  Table 2 shows the percentage of nurses and midwives who were in substantive posts at 30 September and who were still in substantive posts in NHS Scotland a year later. It demonstrates an average annual retention rate of 92.8% between 2001 and 2005. We expect this trend to continue in 2006-07.

  Table 2

  

 
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Stability Index 1 (%)
 92.7
 92.7
 92.7
 93.2



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Note: "Stability Index 1" is the percentage of staff who were in substantive posts with NHS Scotland at 30 September and who were sill in substantive posts in NHS Scotland a year later.

  Table 3 shows the percentage of nurses and midwives who were in substantive posts at 30 September and who were still in substantive posts in NHS Scotland two years later. It demonstrates an average retention rate of 89% between 2001 and 2006. We expect this trend to continue in 2006-07.

  Table 3

  

 
 2001-03
 2002-04
 2003-05
 2004-06


 Stability Index 2 (%)
 87.4
 87.3
 87.9
 93.2



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Note: "Stability Index 2" is the percentage of staff who were in substantive posts with NHS Scotland at 30 September and who were still in substantive posts in NHS Scotland two years later.

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been invested to date in developing a joint health and social work centre for Renfrew.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have advised that to date, £122,448.25 has been invested in the development of the Renfrew Joint Project.

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the bids to fund the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew not being approved.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26397 on 14 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  I understand that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde remain committed to this project and have advised that they are working on a revised Outline Business Case.

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when NHS Argyll and Clyde and NHS Greater Glasgow were informed that the financial bids to fund the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew had not been approved.

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the bids to fund the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew were (a) lodged and (b) determined.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the questions S2W-26394 and S2W-26397 answered on 14 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Minister for Health and Community Care has in determining the outcome of the bids to fund the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew.

Lewis Macdonald: Responsibility for strategic investment regarding the provision of property assets and capital planning are issues for NHS boards. NHS boards are given an annual capital allocation and it is for them to determine, based on their local knowledge and taking into account other local and national priorities how these resources should be utilised.

  Projects to a value of £5 million or above are subject to approval by the Scottish Executive Health Department’s Capital Investment Group. This project was found to have affordability issues which are currently being addressed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

  The Executive funds, in addition, the Primary and Community Care Premises Modernisation Programme which helps pump prime projects agreed by local partners as priorities to improve services to patients and other service users.

  The project referred to received £250,000 in 2004 from phase 2 of the Primary and Community Care Premises Modernisation Project.

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider paying compensation to Renfrewshire Council for its costs incurred as a result of the Executive not progressing the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew.

Lewis Macdonald: No. This is an on-going project.

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Renfrewshire Council in relation to the outcome of the financial bids for financing the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew.

Lewis Macdonald: None. This is an on-going project.

National Health Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the completion date is for the joint health and social work centre for Renfrew.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have advised that they plan to submit the revised Outline Business Case for this project in October 2006. This will include a revised timetable for completion of this project.

Rape

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for rape in each of the last 20 years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons with a Charge Proved for Rape1 in Scottish Courts, 1985-86 to 2004-05

  

 Year
 Number


 1985-86
 44


 1986-87
 26


 1987-88
 40


 1988-89
 49


 1989-90
 40


 1990-91
 29


 1991-92
 29


 1992-93
 29


 1993-94
 41


 1994-95
 26


 1995-96
 30


 1996-97
 35


 1997-98
 30


 1998-99
 37


 1999-2000
 27


 2000-01
 28


 2001-02
 45


 2002-03
 37


 2003-04
 36


 2004-05
 41



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average density of consented wind generation kilowatts per square kilometre is in each planning authority area.

Allan Wilson: As I advised Murdo Fraser in my answer to question S2W-25204 on 24 April 2006, this information is not held centrally, but the following, based on a number of sources, represents a reasonably comprehensive picture.

  Can I also correct two textual errors in my earlier answer, the first of which indicated that the Hagshaw Hill extension was in North Lanarkshire. In fact, like the original Hagshaw Hill wind farm, it is in South Lanarkshire. Secondly, the capacity ascribed to the Rothes wind farm was incorrectly shown as 50.6 MW, rather than 56 MW. I therefore set out in the following tables a corrected version of the previous tables.

  In Operation

  

 Name
 Location
 No of Turbines
Capacity
(MW)


 Hagshaw Hill 
 South Lanarkshire 
 26
 15.6


 Windy Standard 
 Dumfries and Galloway 
 36
 21.6


 Novar 
 Easter Ross, Highland 
 34
 17


 Beinn Ghlas 
 Taynuilt, Argyll and Bute 
 14
 8.4


 Thorfinn 
 Burgar Hill, Orkney Islands 
 1
 1.5


 Dun Law 
 Scottish Borders 
 26
 17.16


 Sigurd 
 Orkney Islands 
 1
 1.3


 Hare Hill 
 Cumnock, East Ayrshire 
 20
 13


 Burra Dale 
 Shetland Islands 
 3
 1.98


 Sainsbury
 East Kilbride, S Lanarkshire 
 1
 0.6


 Deucheran Hill 
 Kintyre, Argyll and Bute 
 9
 15


 Myres Hill 
 Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire 
 2
 1.9


 Beinn an Tuirc 
 Kintyre, Argyll and Bute 
 46
 30


 Bu Farm 
 Stronsey, Orkney Islands 
 3
 2.7


 Thorfinn, Burgar Hill 
 Orkney Islands 
 1
 2.75


 Bowbeat 
 Innerleithen, Scottish Borders 
 24
 31.2


 Tangy 
 Kintyre, Argyll and Bute 
 15
 12.75


 Burra Dale Extension 
 Shetland Islands 
 2
 1.7


 Forss
 Caithness, Highland 
 2
 2.32


 Ardrossan 
 North Ayrshire 
 12
 24


 Crystal Rig 
 Scottish Borders, East Lothian 
 20
 62.5


 Cruach Mhor 
 Cowal, Argyll and Bute 
 35
 29.75


 Causeymire 
 Caithness, Highland 
 21
 48


 Gigha (Community) 
 Argyll and Bute
 3
 0.675


 Spurness 
 Sanday, Orkney Islands 
 4
 11


 Burray 
 Orkney Islands 
 1
 0.85


 Rothes (Cairn Uish) 
 Moray 
 22
 56


 Artfield Fell 
 New Luce, Dumfries and Galloway 
 15
 19.5


 Glens of Foudland 
 Aberdeenshire 
 20
 26


 Black Law 
 S Lanarkshire, N Lanarkshire, W Lothian 
 42
 97


 Boulfruich
 Caithness, Highland
 15
 13


 Hadyard Hill 
 Barr, South Ayrshire
 52
 120


 Total
 
 
 708



  Under Construction

  

 Name
 Location
 No. of Turbines
 Capacity
(MW)


 Braes O’ Doune 
 Stirling 
 36 
 72 


 Paul’s Hill 
 Moray 
 28 
 65 


 Beinn Tharsuinn 
 Easter Ross, Highland 
 17 
 30 


 Boyndie Airfield 
 Aberdeenshire 
 10 
 20 


 Wardlaw Wood 
 North Ayrshire 
 6 
 18 


 Farr 
 Tomatin, Highland 
 40 
 92 


 Black Law "B" 
 S Lanarkshire, N Lanarkshire, W Lothian 
 12 
 27.6 


 Black Hill 
 Longformacus, Scottish Borders 
 22 
 28.6 


 Clachan Flats 
 Cairndow, Argyll and Bute 
 9 
 15.75 


 Tangy Extension 
 Kintyre, Argyll and Bute 
 7 
 5.95 


 Earlsburn 
 Stirling 
 14 
 32 


 Michelin Tyre Factory 
 Dundee City 
 2 
 4 


 Fintry (Community) 
 Stirling 
 1 
 2 


 Balnamoon (Community)
 Keith, Aberdeenshire
 1
 0.85


 Total
 
 
 414



  Consented

  

 Name
 Location
 No. of Turbines
Capacity
(MW)


 Wether Hill 
 Dumfries and Galloway 
 14 
 18 


 Arnish Moor 
 Western Isles 
 3 
 3.9 


 An Suidhe 
 Argyll and Bute 
 24 
 30 


 Torrs Hill 
 Forrest Estate, Dumfries and Galloway 
 2 
 4 


 Over Enoch and Ardoch 
 East Renfrewshire 
 5 
 6.5 


 Tullo
 Mearns, Aberdeenshire 
 8 
 12 


 Mid Hill
 Deeside, Aberdeenshire 
 25 
 50 


 Arnish Moor II 
 Western Isles 
 6 
 12 


Pentland Road(incorporating Beinn Mholach 
 Western Isles 
 6 
 12 


 Dalswinton, Pennyland Moor 
 Dumfries and Galloway 
 16 
 36 


 Drummuir 
 Moray 
 21 
 48 


 Findhorn Foundation 
 Moray 
 3 
 0.9 


 Millennium (Glenmoriston) 
 Highland 
 16 
 48 


 Novar Extension 
 Easter Ross, Highland 
 16 
 32 


 Minsca Farm 
 Dumfries and Galloway 
 17 
 42.5 


 Crystal Rig Phase 2 
 Scottish Borders, East Lothian 
 52 
 164 


 Ben Aketil 
 Skye, Highland 
 10 
 15 


 Causeymire Extension 
 Caithness, Highland 
 3 
 6.7 


 Beinn an Tuirc Extension 
 Kintyre, Argyll and Bute 
 19 
 38 


 Hagshaw Hill Extension 
 South Lanarkshire 
 20 
 26 


 Dun Law Extension 
 Scottish Borders 
 35 
 30 


 Craig
 Westerkirk, Dumfries and Galloway
 3
 5


 Total 
 
 
 641



  The following table based on the above revised statistics in that answer, and including the additional 322 MW of capacity since consented in respect of the Whitelee wind farm in East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and East Ayrshire, provides our data in respect of wind power density per square kilometre in each planning authority where we understand wind farms are in operation, under construction or approved. Any slight discrepancies between the two sets of figures are due to rounding up.

  

 Local Authority Area
 Area 
(Sq Km)
 Wind Farms
 Capacity 
(MW)
Capacity kW 
perSq Km


 Aberdeenshire
 6,313
 5
 109
 17


 Argyll and Bute
 6,909
 10
 185
 27


 Dumfries and Galloway
 6,426
 7
 146
 23


 Dundee City
 60
 1
 4
 66


 East Ayrshire ¹
 1,262
 1
 13
 10


 East Lothian¹
 
 
 
 


 East Renfrewshire ²
 174
 3
 330
 1908


 Highland 
 25,659
 10
 304
 11


 Moray
 2,238
 4
 170
 75


 North Ayrshire
 885
 2
 42
 47


 North Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 


 Orkney 
 990
 6
 21
 21


 Scottish Borders²
 4,732
 6
 333
 70


 Shetland
 1,466
 2
 4
 2


 South Ayrshire
 1,222
 1
 120
 98


 South Lanarkshire ¹,² 
 1,772
 5
 172
 97


 Stirling 
 2,187
 3
 106
 48


 Western Isles
 3,071
 3
 28
 9


 West Lothian¹
 
 
 
 


 Totals
 65,840
 69
 2,087
 



  Notes:

  1. In these instances parts of wind farms which cross local authority boundaries have been allocated to that local authority in which the larger element of the development is located.

  2. These local authority areas house the major element of a wind farm that straddles boundaries.

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration intends to publish its next annual report.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what deadline the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration initially set for publication of its annual report.

Robert Brown: This is a matter for the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.

Social Work

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated for social work services in Argyll and Bute for each year since 1999.

Robert Brown: The GAE allocations for social work services in Argyll and Bute for each year since 1999 are shown in the following table.

  

 Year
Amount Allocated
(£ Million)


 1999-2000
 20.660


 2000-01
 21.208


 2001-02
 23.187


 2002-03
 26.204


 2003-04
 32.955


 2004-05
 33.958


 2005-06
 35.191


 2006-07
 38.729


 2007-08
 40.347



  These allocations are based on the total social work Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) lines for each year. It should be noted that these GAEs are not budgets or spending targets but part of the more complex local government funding formula used to calculate one block grant figure for each council. It is then up to each council to decide how best to allocate their resources based on their local needs and priorities.

  Specific Grant for Social Work Training of £5.5 million per annum is currently allocated to local authorities. This is ring fenced funding to improve the quality of social work service provision by increasing the availability of training for relevant staff.

  Specific Grant Funding Awarded to Argyll and Bute Council

  

 
Annual Grant Award
(£)


 1999-2000
 65,000


 2000-01
 35,968


 2001-02
 41,000


 2002-03
 35,968


 2003-04
 98,968


 2004-05
 98,968


 2005-06
 98,968


 2006-07
 98,968

Visually Impaired People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to groups which provide and organise talking newspapers for visually impaired people.

Patricia Ferguson: The provision of access to talking newspapers is a matter for local authorities. The Executive does not, therefore, allocate funding to groups providing such a service. The Executive encourages local authorities to make appropriate arrangements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Local Government Act 2003.

Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been (a) charged and (b) successfully prosecuted under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Offences Under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 20021, 2002-03 to 2004-05.

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Total
 -
 3
 3


 Number with a charge proved
 -
 2
 2



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Young People

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a systematic procedure for assessing whether its legislation or action plans will have an impact on children and young people; if so, what this procedure is and why it has not been formalised and made public, and, if not, what action it is taking to ensure that a procedure is developed and implemented.

Robert Brown: The Executive is committed to ensuring that the needs and rights of children and young people are considered in the development and implementation of policy and legislation. Our Child Strategy Statement , which was published in 2000, commits the Executive to consider the impact on children of all policies and legislation. Any issues which have a significant impact on children and young people are considered by the Children and Young People Delivery Group.

  We will continue to consider how we can improve and expand these measures to ensure we continue to protect and promote the rights of children.

Young People

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive  what percentage of young people and what percentage of those aged (a) 15, (b) 16, (c) 17 and (d) 18 leaving care are not in employment, education or training.

Robert Brown: In 2004, the percentage of all people aged 16 to 19 years not in employment, education or training was 13.2 per cent.

  At 31 March 2005, of those care leavers who were receiving aftercare support and whose economic status was known, 59 per cent were not in employment, education or training. For 15-year-olds, the proportion was 38 per cent; for 16-year-olds it was 59 per cent; for 17-year-olds it was 62 per cent, and for 18-year-olds it was 59 per cent.

  This is not acceptable. This group is a high priority for Scottish ministers.

  That is why we have set a target for at least 50% of all "looked after" young people leaving care to have entered education, employment or training by 2007.